Wednesday, June 24, 2015

a whole lota lovin'

hello people!
I can't remember if I shared these or not,
but if I did, i'm sharing again. :)
I don't watch much TV,
but when I do, I often sketch at the same time.
I keep a sketchbook nearby with pens & crayons
so if I feel like drawing, everything's there at my fingertips.
These sketches were done while I was watching
the movie, Saving Private Ryan. 
The ones above are of a church that had been blown up
and that the soldiers were using as shelter.
These are done quickly, 
because you only have a few minutes of a certain scene
on the tv screen.
I usually just sketch quickly
and add a bit of detail later on if I want.
And then this doodle below
I did while I was watching a show
on the Great Pyramids of Egypt.
The pyramids are so fascinating.
Another place i'd love to visit someday.
This is a bit different, 
because I'm not sketching something I see on TV,
I'm doodling while listening
so the drawing is really more imaginative
than figurative.
As I doodle, I lift my face now and then
to look at the TV
but mostly, I just listen and doodle what comes to mind.
I wonder if the brain absorbs more this way?
Either way, it is so meditative
to doodle something like this.
There's no right or wrong.
There's no rhyme or reason.
You make lines, draw circles or squares,
color certain parts in
and leave some white.
This is the kind of doodle you would do slowly.
It took me almost an hour of slow drawing,
and when I finished,
i called it a night
and had the deepest sleep.

We could wipe out so many prescription drugs in this world
if we all just made art. :)
Sketchers - my most comfortable shoes.
I am past the age of wearing sexy shoes.
Comfort is what it's all about, baby.
Added watercolor (even if it's not watercolor paper!)
so the paper buckled a bit, but whatever.
And guess what, peeps?
Today is my birthday!
(yes, another birthday!)
I turn 52 today, and I must say, it was a good one.
I did everything i love.
I went for a long walk this morning,
I read, I painted, I wrote...
I'm at that age now where once in a while,
reality sets in and I think to myself:
Is this it?
Is this my life?
Have I done everything I wanted to?
and the answer is always NO, of course not!
We always want more, don't we?
So I thought I'd share 52 things about me
that you may not know.
You may not care about them either - but what the hell.
I'm sharing them anyway cause
it's my birthday and I get to do what I want! Yay!

1. I was born in Massachusetts, US, but we moved to Canada when I was 7.

2. I backpacked in Europe by myself when I was 30. I would do it again in a heartbeat, only this time, I'd be smarter about it. 

3. I hate huge corporations. They treat people like numbers. I hate that.

4. I used to dream about working in 3rd world countries, helping others.

5. I want to go to India before I die.

6. I am not religious. (yes, i know most of you must know this already). :)

7. I am an introvert. (another "not so big surprise" to those who know me).

8. I am often alone but rarely lonely.

9. I love books. (surprise!!)

10. I once had a drink with my dad in an old fashion saloon in Great Falls, Montana, USA. The kind of saloon you see in movies - with swinging doors!

11. I lost my wallet in Paris and a kind stranger gave me $100. She was a nun.

12. I saw Prince (the performer) at the Charles de Gaulle airport.

13. I tented in the woods in Jasper where we hung our food in the trees to keep it away from the bears.

14. I believe pot (marijuana/cannabis) should be legalized.

15. I love being bare feet.

16. I hate wearing a bra (and I usually don't.)

17. Music moves me. Sometimes deeply.

18. Painting always makes me feel like i'm home.

19. I once went to Florida for 3 weeks with two girls I had just met one week before the trip. (We had a blast & became good friends).

20. I smoked my 1st cigarette when I was 12, hiding behind our garage. I never smoked another.

21. I was on the honour roll in high school, and my favorite subject was (ironically) Religious Studies. :)

22. I've made the trip across Canada by car twice. It's beautiful. And long.

23. I am a Maritimer, but I don't like lobster. They look too much like spiders to me. :)

24.  I've never had an entire beer. (Don't like the taste).

25.  I write everyday.

26.  I love history - in particular, Jewish history.

27.  I don't believe in life after death at this time in my life.

28.  I carry guilt about being the only one with mom when she died. I wished my two brothers had been there too.

29. Giving birth to my son was the most important and beautiful thing that ever happened to me.

30. When I was a child, I had a small, glow in the dark Buddha that I kept with me at all times - especially at night, when things were dark and creepy.

31. I'd rather drive a standard (transmission) car than an automatic.

32. I spent a lot of my teenage years horseback riding in Western Canada, rollerskating, tenting in the mountains and writing.

33. In the middle of a freezing winter, I fell through the ice while eel fishing and got pneumonia.

34. I don't go eel fishing anymore. :)

35. I only watched the BIG BANG THEORY once and didn't like it. Not funny to me.

36. I used to have pen pals around the world - including inmates who were serving life sentences.

37. I worked as a prison guard and trusted some of the inmates more than some of the other prison guards.

38. I played guitar when I was younger and wrote a few songs. I once sang one of my songs to a guy I was crazy about - and when I finished, he cried.

39. I can't stand people who cling to me.

40. I'd much rather live in a small home than a big one.

41. I believe politicians and athletes are paid far too much.

42. I believe teachers are paid far too little.

43. I need very little to be happy. Good coffee. Good music. Good books.

44. I have a soft spot for the homeless - and alcoholics.

45. When I was 13, I stayed on a teeter totter with my cousin for 5 hours. We could barely walk the next day, but after that, we felt like we could do anything!

46. I avoid big crowds and loud places. My senses just feel attacked.

47. We lived in so many different houses when I was growing up, my friends all thought I was an army brat (that my father was in the army). He wasn't.

48. When I was in grade 7, my friend and I won 1st place in a snow sculpting contest. We sculpted SNOOPY on his dog house, and we shared a trophy for an entire year. (she had it one week, I had it the other). giggle....

49. I once saved my dad from drowning in a hotel pool.

50. George Jones, the famous country singer, once sang me Happy Birthday at an outdoor concert in Maine, USA. He was sober. I wasn't. ;)

51. I once went on a weekend pilgrimage with mom and spent more time flirting with the cute bus drivers than praying. I was saved anyway. ;)

52. Being 52 is not so bad. Really. I'm happy to be here

To those of you who have read all the way through these useless tidbits -
thanks for being here with me. xx

16 comments:

  1. Happy Belated Birthday beautiful lady!! Wishing you peace and harmony today and always!! Loved all the tidbits about you, many of which apply to me too!! Guilt is a wasted emotion... let it go!! Keep enjoying the journey!! Stave off the aches and pains as long as you can!! Much joy to you my friend...love your doodles!!

    Hugs Giggles

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    1. thank you girl! Yes to ALL of this. :) Let it go... let it go. xx

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  2. I loved this post Pauline! Sounds like you had a great day doing what you love!! Can't believe you're 52... where has time gone??

    I also loved the tidbits... learned stuff about my niece that I never knew!! And I agree with Giggles... guilt is a wasted emotion! You have NOTHING to feel guilty about! You were there for your mother right to the end! Of course you would have loved to have your brothers there with you (and she would have loved that too!) but somehow that wasn't meant to be! I know for a fact how much your mother appreciated you, she mentioned it every time we visited her!!

    I had to laugh at #51... I can imagine she had a few good laughs as well!!

    Love your art, love your stories, love you!!

    Tante Lucille
    xox

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    1. ah, merci Lucille! Yeah, my head knows I have nothing to feel guilty about, but somehow, my heart still feels it. But it's getting better. Ah yes... #51. They were cute bus drivers - what else could I do?!? ;) You knew mom - she laughed along with me. Thanks again for the kind comments. Love you too. xx

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  3. oh wow, what an inspiring post.... Happy belated birthday!!! I think I own 3/4 of your list!! LOL.... Love your art... especially the sneakers - you've really captured the fabric of them!! Love the colour too!

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    1. Thank you Mandy! Yes, i'm sure we all share similar lists. :) Wishing you a wonderful day. xx

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  4. So so happy to hear you had such a lovely, just-right-for-you birthday! Also, bare feet and no bra - ME TOO. In fact I can relate to a lot of your list - didn't realise you were such a traveller! Loved reading your list and that Egyptian inspired drawing is intriguing! Big love to you xoxo

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    1. T! So nice to see you here. I know you're taking time 'off' so it makes me feel even more special. ;) Yes, i'll bet you and I have a lot of things in common. The no bra + no shoes are all that really matter though. heheheee... love ya back. xx

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  5. Happy (belated) birthday Pauline. Your 52 reads like a memoir- loved reading it all.
    # 37 made me nod.
    # 51 made me smile:)
    I'd love to show you the quiet India.
    Love and hugs. xx

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    1. thank you so much Arti... oh, and the 'quiet' India is the one I want to experience. I'll drop you a line soon. Thank you for your lovely email. xx

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  6. So good to catch up here Pauline! Your sketches, doodles and comfy shoes are all great! I loved reading 52 things about you, you sound like you're happy where you're at now and I leave here with a smile!

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  7. oh Pauline, it's so interesting to read all these little seemingly useless tidbits about you, that make you even more into a "real" person. Although your personality already shines through in all of your posts and your art. Happy B'day to you, it sounds like it was a good one. Your doodles are so beautiful, I agree totally with the meditative part.....

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  8. Happy (late!) birthday! I really love the Sketchers drawing! (Ha! Didn't really think of their name before.) Holy cow, you've had so many adventures. :D

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  9. Happy belated birthday.All your artwork is interesting and I loved reading about you and found a few common things.I love to read,am an introvert,not religious :-).Since I live in India,I can maybe help your dream come true.You are welcome to visit.:-).Love the watercoloured shoes.Thanks for following my blog and for leaving such an encouraging comment.

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  10. Happy belated birthday. I love all 52 things about you + I love your art style and perception as well. You are an extremely inspiring woman!

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  11. Your Sketchers look so real in your drawing! Well done!

    I really enjoyed learning about you... A lot of the things on your list would be on my list too.

    I am so glad that you had a great birthday doing what you like to do!

    I too gave up high heels many years ago. After falling in the slippery school hallways where I teach for the millionth time, I declared I had had enough embarrassment and stiff muscles and haven't worn them since.

    Guilt is a powerful thing...hard to let go

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